Open ocean aquaculture is a marine farming technique in which fish farms are placed offshore in the open ocean. The farms are typically positioned in deep and unsheltered waters, where ocean currents are stronger than they are inshore. A main advantage of open ocean aquaculture is the dispersion of effluent produced by the fish farms: near-shore aquaculture effluent settles below the farms on the seafloor, potentially damaging local ecosystems. Placing aquaculture in a large body of water also eases the process of obtaining permits, mitigates issues around recreational use for near-shore space, and provides more space for the farms, allowing production to expand and preventing health risks associated with overcrowding, such as injury, disease, and high mortality rates.